Unreleased and New Card Discussion

[Cyberium]

Black Market Tycoon and other treasure themed cards in the set seem to bend on sacrificing them, looks like that's the theme of Riveteers, aggressively using treasure for things other than mana.

[Dragoon]

I get that the theme is treasures, but everything about Black Market Tycoon feels to me: the name, the effect, the flavour text...

[Hermes_]

Gideon tribal with the Luxior, Giada's Gift or Chandra

[Lifeless]

Treasures as part of red's identity has really started to get on my nerves. These new cards aren't exactly making me feel any better.

*Edit - totally unrelated though - I really like Toluz, Clever Conductor. It's the kind of ability that I enjoy because at first glance it seems like it can be broken but I'm not sure how yet.

[folding_music]

sorry for being negative on this set. Think I can encapsulate my criticism of its flavour by saying this: the card names sound like names playtest cards'd have, all archetypes and clunky movie references

[pokken]

The card that turns something into a legitimate businessperson really threw me. Like it's funny but it's not Magic.

[Venedrex]

The card that turns something into a legitimate businessperson really threw me. Like it's funny but it's not Magic.

That's fair. I do think the next sets are going to pivot right back into the Magic we all know and love in a big way though. I kinda suspect NEO and SNC were Wotc giving us some different takes before launching into the concentrated magicness of Dominaria/Brother's War.

[Mookie]

Eh, the movie references / cliched lines don't really bother me. Definitely a subjective thing though - I found some of the Neon Dynasty ones a little cringe.

Anyway, a few more interesting things...

Topiary Stomper is a bigger Farhaven Elf, assuming you have enough lands. Seems good in Goreclaw, Terror of Qal Sisma and other decks that care about power.
Cemetery Tampering seems... underwhelming. I don't think I would be interested in playing an enchantment that just milled every turn, so it's really about the hideaway. And when you account for that... getting 20 cards in your graveyard, while not trivial, is certainly doable. Turning your 3-drop into a free Omniscience or other big spell seems pretty powerful if you can fill your graveyard quickly enough.
Corpse Cleaner looks solid - reasonable body, connives repeatedly, and eventually reanimates something. Yet another option for Karmic Guide looping.

[DirkGently]

Personally, the degree to which generic nods towards other genres bother me is so, so much less than how much directly using outside IP bothers me.

[duducrash]

Topiary Stomper is nice I guess. I can definitely see it seing t2 play. have 2 attacking in turn 5. As far as commander, Wood Elves, Farhaven Elf Yavimaya Dryad Yavimaya Granger and Solemn Simulacrum should come first in most ocasions, but if yo are in need of a 6th version of the effect...

[BeneTleilax]

I'm torn on this set. I hate the creative aspect (card names, worldbuilding, a lot of the art) but the mechanics look really solid.

[Wallycaine]

Topiary Stomper is nice I guess. I can definitely see it seing t2 play. have 2 attacking in turn 5. As far as commander, Wood Elves, Farhaven Elf Yavimaya Dryad Yavimaya Granger and Solemn Simulacrum should come first in most ocasions, but if yo are in need of a 6th version of the effect...

I'd say there's arguments for it over the last 3. Body is more relevant to me than Yavimaya's forestwalk/being able to put under any player's control, Granger having echo isn't ideal for all decks, and Solemn is an extra mana. I'd probably put it around the 3-4th best version of the effect we've gotten, which is certainly still at the point where you can play it reasonably, especially if the 4/4 body has significant upside.

[duducrash]

I'd say there's arguments for it over the last 3

Eh, I think a 4/4 body isnt relevant at all in the format. Idk how often it not being able to block something will be relevant, but I feel it will be non 0. Yavimaya Granger's echo is more of a feature imho, since it makes it so much easier to do graveyard stuff. Solemn does cost 1 more but it also replaces itself. I think the 2 worse are Dryad and Stomper

[5colorsrainbow]

I'm not a fan of gangster movies (though I like any kind of mystery story so noir is fun) but I'm quiet enjoying the world building. I like seeing more non-traditional high fantasy worlds since I feel like the other Fantasy sub-genres are under explored. In a couple of ways I also feel like the world building is a little more creative since wotc don't have as much to draw on vs more traditional fantasy setting that have been done a lot.

I also like how they weaved into the main storyline by being Elspeths home plane and possibly having a kryptonite to phyrexia.

It's also fun seeing a fantastical 1920 setting that doesn't need to deal with some of the real world issues going on during that time in the real world.

[Serenade]

We've seen enough high society stuff in Battlebond/sometimes Ravnica/heck, Tibalt always dressed like this/Conspiracy that I don't feel like it's too far off.

I will say I'm tired of counters and tokens. I want to bring along my deck and not much else.

[TheGildedGoose]

Topiary Stomper sucks because you can't Skullclamp it.

[pokken]

The value of a 4/4 body has really grown for me over time. I am unreasonably excited about that 6/4 menace browbeat guy. Just putting pressure on people who want to durdle is fun.

[Serenade]

I like it for fighting. Probably worth a try in Surrak (makes sure you land Surrak the next turn, guarantees haste).

[DirkGently]

The value of a 4/4 body has really grown for me over time. I am unreasonably excited about that 6/4 menace browbeat guy. Just putting pressure on people who want to durdle is fun.

That guy is probably better than a 6/4 menace with no abilities, funny enough. I don't want my opponents to draw cards, but would I lose 6 life to stop one opponent drawing one card....eh....maybe not.... And then it blocks well afterwards!

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

Hello new Baleful Strix! Well, Aven Heartstabber isn't exactly Strix, but it'll do.

[illakunsaa]

Topiary Stomper sucks because you can't Skullclamp it.

There is nothing that prevents you from equippin clamp to stomper. If anything 5/3 vigilance is able to trade with almost anything and the clamp makes attacking/blocking less ideal for opponents.

[ukkuhrmakhai]

sorry for being negative on this set. Think I can encapsulate my criticism of its flavour by saying this: the card names sound like names playtest cards'd have, all archetypes and clunky movie references

You've encapsulated my feelings as well. I really want to like magical gangsters but the set feels like they went to print midway through playtesting before they merged the gangster and fantasy elements. Witness Protection (which I kind of like) feels like they tried to cram as many memes as possible in with the name changing effect. Just making it a citizen creature would've been enough but they added the name too which just made it feel silly. It doesn't even quite make sense because "Legitimate Businesspeople" is a meme I've heard about active members of the mafia not those in witness protection.

Personally, the degree to which generic nods towards other genres bother me is so, so much less than how much directly using outside IP bothers me.

I'm glad we didn't have Vito Corleone and Wedding Announcement // Wedding Festivity in the same standard. As awkward as this set it is so, so much better than cross overs.


On a positive note, Evelyn, the Covetous and Maestros Ascendancy both look solid. I'm also cautiously optimistic about shield counters as another form of creature protection beyond hexproof.

[PrimevalCommander]

Topiary Stomper is nice I guess. I can definitely see it seing t2 play. have 2 attacking in turn 5. As far as commander, Wood Elves, Farhaven Elf Yavimaya Dryad Yavimaya Granger and Solemn Simulacrum should come first in most ocasions, but if yo are in need of a 6th version of the effect...

Funny you should say that, because I just might need a 6th version of this effect for Karador, Ghost Chieftain
Though I don't play Yavimaya Dryad because I was attempting to avoid the for early game fixing in 3 color. Same reason I don't currently play Knight of the White Orchid despite really wanting to. Though green is one of the colors I look for most in opening hand, so it may be worth a try.

Corpse Cleaner is like a mini-Junji, the Midnight Sky which I was very excited for. Seems like a auto include in aristocrats for looping small creatures.

[UnfulfilledDesires]

My Hazezon Tamar deck is excited for Professional Face-Breaker, Jaxis, the Troublemaker, & Jinnie Fay, Jetmir's Second. I particular like that Jaxis can copy Hazezon & that Jinnie's replacement effect is optional. Casting Hazezon & then immediately copying it & keeping the token & sacrificing it at end of turn means 2x Sand Warriors at my next upkeep without having to worry about Hazezon's leaves-the-battlefield trigger. Jinnie likewise offers a way around Hazezon's downside, while still allowing creating token copies of creatures unlike Divine Visitation.

[Guardman]

Jinnie Fay, Jetmir's Second is a really neat token commander. And there is a lot of fun ways to use her. And she adds some interesting decisions for instant speed token makers. For example, do you want to play March of the Multitudes on your turn to make a ton of hasty cats or would you prefer to wait at end of an opponent's turn to make a ton of dogs with more one more power and vigilance. Plus she even works with noncreature tokens, so Brass's Bounty can create a massive alpha strike out of nowhere.